Are you still reeling from a terrible ending to the Dolphins 2013 season? Has the Incognito/Martin drama sullied the franchise?

Let’s take it back to another time in team history when the Dolphins were yearly contenders.

Twitter user @noahsadork posted some clips from the 1990s and early 2000s that you couldn’t previously find online. Having all of these old clips suddenly reemerge is like Dolphins nostalgia porn. If anyone else has long-lost clips, I can add them to the blog.

This might be the best of the bunch. Linebacker Zach Thomas, a fifth-round pick, immediately makes a name for himself in his debut game. Thomas levels Patriots receiver Shawn Jefferson, who was taken off on a stretcher. Of course, a lot has changed in 18 years — Thomas is praised by the announcer for his “helmet-to-helmet hit.”

In the instant replay era, this would’ve been called back after Gene Atkins stepped out of bounds. Regardless, this was a heck of a play from Atkins, who intercepted Steve Bono in and then completed a lateral pass to Troy Vincent who returned it for a touchdown. The Dolphins beat the Chiefs 45-28 in this 1994 game.

Here’s a classic Sunday Night Football game from 2002. Everyone thought the Broncos had it won, but Dolphins quarterback Jay Fiedler — who had just broken his thumb — came back for one last Dolphins drive.

Here’s another Zach Thomas spectacular. He didn’t just return an interception for a touchdown in this 2001 Sunday Night game. He did it with style.

Back in 1992, Louis Oliver had his own interception returned for a touchdown. He may not have done it with the dramatics of Zach Thomas, but give Oliver a break — he tied the NFL record here with a 103-yard return, so he was probably exhausted.

Here’s another Oliver interception with a lateral to Sean Hill. This was in the same 24-10 win over the Patriots in 1996 when Thomas (and Jimmy Johnson) made their debuts.

Here’s a testy 5-minute stretch between the Dolphins and Bengals in a 1991 Monday Night Football Game. Of course, Bryan Cox is involved.

And in honor of Pete Carroll winning the Super Bowl, here’s a moment that may have been forgotten league-wide, but is well remembered in Miami. Carroll, then the Jets defensive coordinator, gives the choke sign to Dolphins kicker Pete Stoyanovich after a missed field goal. Although it’s not shown here, the Dolphins had the last laugh and won the game.

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[…] Are you still reeling from a terrible ending to the Dolphins 2013 season? Has the Incognito/Martin drama sullied the franchise? Let’s take it back to another time in team history when the Dolphins were yearly contenders. Twitter user @noahsadork posted some clips from the 1990s and early 2000s that you couldn’t previously find online. This […] …read more […]